A Firkin Fall Centerpiece

I created a firkin fall centerpiece from a garage sale find!

I saw a beauty from across the dirt packed pavilion on a recent trip to Vintage Market Days, I was looking for an ice cream bucket on that particular trip but it was not an ice cream bucket …

Side note: I did find an ice cream bucket and I love her. You can see her here and here.

The vendor referred to it as a firkin, not a bucket. But these primitive wooden vessels – some painted, some with iron banding, a few with handles and in all different shapes and sizes were gorgeous. Think of the possibilities!

And then she told me the price …

ARE YOU FIRKIN KIDDING ME?

I love a play on words and a 12 year old sense of humor but I digress.

I walked away from the firkins that obviously had the secrets to anti aging, eating bread and still fitting in real pants and other life secrets because why else would they be so expensive?

Then all glory days a bit later I found this popcorn bucket at a garage sale for $1!

A Firkin Disguised As A Popcorn Bowl

That popcorn bowl was getting “fifth sparrow-d no more” and being recreated as a firkin – a firkin fall centerpiece that is!

First Steps –

• I cleaned the firkin with Heirloom Traditions Paint Deglosser. This cleans, etches and prepare your surface for painting. NO deactivation (water rinse) required after.
• I taped off the metal bands with painter’s tape.

• I used Heirloom Traditions Paint (can you tell I love their products!) in Bone, a white that’s not too white but not creamy!

Creating a Centerpiece – A Few Ways To Save Money

• Create your own picks
  • Gather skewers and toothpicks
  • Wooden skewers can be inserted into the bottom of larger items, like these pumpkins
  • Purchasing a bag of Fall Mini Pumpkins and using toothpicks in the bottoms create instant fillers for small spaces in your centerpiece
• Don’t buy expensive feathers in the floral department!
  • Purchase feathers made for crafting and attach to a wooden skewer
• Look in the Dollar Tree for floral supplies like styrofoam, flowers and more. I got my favorite part of the firkin fall centerpiece at the Dollar Tree!
• Look in the clearance bins year round! I shop for the holidays all year long.

• Styrofoam can be cut down with a steak knife from your kitchen, no need for fancy tools!

A Firkin Fall Centerpiece

I used feathers, pumpkins and what I am calling Truffula Tree (who are my Dr. Seuss fans?) floral picks. I picked these up at Dollar Tree and they just make me happy – they are bit like the clovers in Horton Hears a Who too!

What fabulous garage sale find will you firkin fall in love with, repurpose and fill with your own version of Truffula Trees aka happiness?

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